DEP nixes proposal for South Mountain Reservation dam

Construction of a large dam, or detention basin, in South Mountain Reservation to control flooding of the Rahway River is no longer an option.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection told the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to pursue two options from its feasibility study of Rahway River flood abatement projects in a letter it sent to the Corps on July 17. The options include making channel improvements with modifications to outlet pipes in the Orange Reservoir, called Alternative 4 in the study, and raising homes in Cranford, which is Alternative 7A.

The alternative to construct a dam in South Mountain Reservation was not listed in the correspondence.

The DEP received a letter from the mayor of every municipality along the Rahway River watershed, asking the Corps to remove the South Mountain Dam proposal from its flood risk management feasibility study of the river from consideration and to concentrate on Alternatives 4 and 7A, explained Larry Ragonese, spokesman for the New Jersey DEP.

"Both alternatives have positive cost-benefit possibility and make sense from economic, environmental and flood control standpoints," Ragonese said. "For now the dam is not going to be looked at."

The dam idea created controversy among some Millburn Township residents, environmentalists and grassroots groups because they felt a dam would be environmentally-destructive to the reservation and that it would not be economically feasible. It was the least favorable option the Mayors Council of the Rahway River Watershed suggested to the Corps last month that they study further, with alternatives 4 and 7A being the other options the council recommended.

Narrowing down the options is a start to flood prevention but more needs to be done before an option is finalized. The Corps needs to complete a detailed study of both alternatives and will provide a report of their findings to the DEP. Ragonese told The Item of Millburn and Short Hills last week the Corps is expected to have the report in the next several months.

Not constructing a dam comes as good news to local environmentalists, Millburn Township residents, and grassroots groups.

"Hopefully it will lead to less flooding in downtown Millburn and provide relief for Millburn and Cranford," said Jennifer Duckworth, chairwoman of Millburn's Environmental Commission and co-chair of the Essex County Environmental Commission.

"This is only one piece of the puzzle that will reduce flooding. This isn't a one-stop solution. It's only the start," Duckworth noted.

"We totally achieved the purpose for which we formed back in February," said Fred Profeta, former mayor of Maplewood and chairman of Save Our Reservation, a grassroots group opposed to the dam construction.

"I want to thank everyone who pitched in on this," Profeta said. "Our petition played a role undoubtedly."

As of July 18, Save Our Reservation's petition against the dam to the DEP had 5,910 supporters.

Millburn Mayor Robert Tillotson explained the Mayors Council agreed Alternatives 4 and 7A should be pursued.

"We chose what we considered to be viable options so we chose Alternatives 4 and 7A," said Tillotson.

Dan Aschenbach, former mayor of Cranford and Mayors Council member, said the DEP's decision to recommend the channel improvements is big state news.

"The decision by the state DEP today to select alternative 4 weighed the benefits and costs of 10 alternatives to implement flood mitigation for communities from Millburn to Rahway. The alternative 4 had the best benefits over cost amongst the alternatives reviewed which means at peak storm conditions the river water elevation would be significantly lower if the alternative got implemented," Aschenbach told The Item July 17 in an email.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection told the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to pursue two options from its feasibility study of Rahway River flood abatement projects in a letter it sent to the Corps on July 17. The options include making channel improvements with modifications to outlet pipes in the Orange Reservoir, called Alternative 4 in the study, and raising homes in Cranford, which is Alternative 7A.

The alternative to construct a dam in South Mountain Reservation was not listed in the correspondence.

The DEP received a letter from the mayor of every municipality along the Rahway River watershed, asking the Corps to remove the South Mountain Dam proposal from its flood risk management feasibility study of the river from consideration and to concentrate on Alternatives 4 and 7A, explained Larry Ragonese, spokesman for the New Jersey DEP.

"Both alternatives have positive cost-benefit possibility and make sense from economic, environmental and flood control standpoints," Ragonese said. "For now the dam is not going to be looked at."

The dam idea created controversy among some Millburn Township residents, environmentalists and grassroots groups because they felt a dam would be environmentally-destructive to the reservation and that it would not be economically feasible. It was the least favorable option the Mayors Council of the Rahway River Watershed suggested to the Corps last month that they study further, with alternatives 4 and 7A being the other options the council recommended.

Narrowing down the options is a start to flood prevention but more needs to be done before an option is finalized. The Corps needs to complete a detailed study of both alternatives and will provide a report of their findings to the DEP. Ragonese told The Item of Millburn and Short Hills last week the Corps is expected to have the report in the next several months.

Not constructing a dam comes as good news to local environmentalists, Millburn Township residents, and grassroots groups.

"Hopefully it will lead to less flooding in downtown Millburn and provide relief for Millburn and Cranford," said Jennifer Duckworth, chairwoman of Millburn's Environmental Commission and co-chair of the Essex County Environmental Commission.

"This is only one piece of the puzzle that will reduce flooding. This isn't a one-stop solution. It's only the start," Duckworth noted.

"We totally achieved the purpose for which we formed back in February," said Fred Profeta, former mayor of Maplewood and chairman of Save Our Reservation, a grassroots group opposed to the dam construction.

"I want to thank everyone who pitched in on this," Profeta said. "Our petition played a role undoubtedly."

As of July 18, Save Our Reservation's petition against the dam to the DEP had 5,910 supporters.

Millburn Mayor Robert Tillotson explained the Mayors Council agreed Alternatives 4 and 7A should be pursued.

"We chose what we considered to be viable options so we chose Alternatives 4 and 7A," said Tillotson.

Dan Aschenbach, former mayor of Cranford and Mayors Council member, said the DEP's decision to recommend the channel improvements is big state news.

"The decision by the state DEP today to select alternative 4 weighed the benefits and costs of 10 alternatives to implement flood mitigation for communities from Millburn to Rahway. The alternative 4 had the best benefits over cost amongst the alternatives reviewed which means at peak storm conditions the river water elevation would be significantly lower if the alternative got implemented," Aschenbach told The Item July 17 in an email.